Episcopal DC Diocese Embraces Gender Ideology and Open Borders

FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty ImagesDR. SUSAN BERRY1 Feb 2018

The Episcopal Church in Washington, DC, has formally resolved to scrap masculine pronouns for God, to ensure their public facilities are open to all based on gender identity rather than biological sex, and to become a “sanctuary diocese” for illegal immigrants.

A resolution adopted at the 123rd Diocesan Convention at Washington National Cathedral states:

[I]f revision of the Book of Common Prayer is authorized, to utilize expansive language for God from the rich sources of feminine, masculine, and non-binary imagery for God found in Scripture and tradition and, when possible, to avoid the use of gendered pronouns for God.

The drafters of the resolution explain:

Our current gender roles shape and limit our understanding of God.

By expanding our language for God, we will expand our image of God and the nature of God. Our new Book of Common Prayer needs to reflect the language of the people and our society. This resolution assumes that the authors of our new Book of Common Prayer will continue in the long tradition of beautiful poetic language. However, this beautiful language should not be limited by gendered pronouns when avoidable.

The diocese also resolved to offer “sacred welcome” to illegal immigrants, and to “oppose the policies of the incumbent Executive Branch that target undocumented immigrants for deportation while also placing undue restrictions on refugees seeking safe haven in the U.S.”

Additionally, the DC Episcopal diocese resolved to “support educational, pastoral, liturgical, and legislative efforts that seek to end the systemic violence against transgender people, calling special attention to the rise in violence against transgender women of color.”

The resolution asks the diocese to “encourage all parishes to remove all obstacles to full participation in congregational life by making all gender-specific facilities and activities fully accessible, regardless of gender identity and expression.”